Flip!

There's a scene in The Cutting Edge--I've talked about the fact that I love this goofy, really bad movie right? Anyway, the scene in question is Moira Kelly talking about magnets. That if you try to put the wrong sides of magnets together, they just push each other away. But all you have to do is flip one over and they stick together. Okay, halfway through writing this I realized that the analogy is breaking down. But I'm not going to try to come up with a new one.

Anyway, I've been struggling lately to keep up with all the things I'm committed to doing: work in particular, NewsMag, CWC, writing, house, family, friends--you get the idea. There is never going to be enough time to do everything I want to. I realized that years ago. There are too many things and people I'm interested in for that to ever happen. I'm groovy with that. But my attitude about this juggling act has pretty much sucked over the past several weeks. That I do have control over, but haven't been taking it. I've been wallowing in my bad mood. Really enjoying it, ya know?

I had no plans to drag myself out of that wallow either. This morning I got ready early so I could get to work early so I could throw a couple more balls in the air for the day. Just more reasons to feel stressed and cranky.

Maybe it was driving in at a different time. Maybe it was not worrying about getting to work on time because I was so early. Maybe it was listening to music on the radio rather than NPR. Maybe it's watching Ali and John smack each other around while toting up big word count numbers. Who knows? But I spotted a hot air balloon floating over the city, and that made me smile. Then I saw a man on a bicycle. Not unusual. But he was a very thin man in an orange jumpsuit. He had an Afro that stuck out wider than his shoulders. That made me laugh. And all around the parking lot at work, the trees have decided to turn a brilliant orange. That made me feel connected.

I may have passed all those things yesterday, but I didn't notice them. For whatever reason, I did today. I don't have any fewer things to do--in fact, I added updating my blog to the list--but I don't feel quite so cranky.

Take a few seconds today to look around. You too, John and Ali, even while you're racing for the gold--or is it Golden Arches?

Oh, and "toe pick!"

Duck!

The challenges are flying fast and furiously around here as we get closer to the end of the month. Ali and John are in the middle of another smackdown. I'm feeling challenged just getting out of bed in the morning. Bad cold, project at work whupping my butt, yada yada yada. It's all by way of the old excuse of not enough time. Whatever. I'm over it.

I did make a change to my goals for the month based on some feedback from the ever brilliant Jenny. Chapter count is much easier to manage and more practical than page/word count when it comes to rewrites. Chapters are the units we're dealing in once the novel is done. Even if we query with word counts. So, chapters it is.

The NewsMag is out the door, and I have a couple weeks until the deadline for the next one. I have no plays or hockey games or parties or anything else to attend between now and the CWC meeting. So. 31 pages of Vesta is 2.8 pages a day in order to give myself time for a polish before I make copies. Really doable. I have the first chapter of MMG pretty well done, just one scene to add. A push to get another one done, but not at all out of the realm of possibility.

Time to just do it, as the ad says. There's a writing marathon next month and NaNoWriMo the month after that. I need to condition these flabby writing muscles before then. Who's with me?

Happy Leap Day

I think Leap Day should be a national holiday. It only comes around once every four years. Shouldn't we celebrate it? A few weeks ago, DB posted a prompt about making up a holiday. So, if Leap Day were a national holiday, how would you celebrate it?

I would sleep in a little. Then, since it is such a pretty day today, I would go for a hike. Spend an hour or so communing with nature, filling the well and clearing out the cobwebs. Looks like Leap Day is also cliche' day for me. Anyway, then I would spend the rest of the day taking leaps. Not physical, but creative. I would maybe start a story in a genre that frightens me. Or apply for an exclusive workshop.

So how would you spend Leap Day if you had it free? Like John, the rotter.